Brought to you by Seahorse magazine, Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Red Bull Youth America's Cup The serene island paradise of Bermuda will be rocking this week when the world's best young sailors fly across the Great Sound in the Finals of the Red Bull Youth America's Cup. Amid the already-charged atmosphere of the race action in the 35th America's Cup Match, presented by Louis Vuitton, eight international teams of sailors aged 18 to 24 will amp the excitement even higher over two days until the youth champions are crowned. Among them are compelling home heroes who have become the Cinderella story of the summer. Don't miss the Finals action LIVE on Red Bull TV, this Tuesday and Wednesday, June 20 and 21.

The teams who have earned a berth in the Red Bull Youth America's Cup Finals are: Team France Jeune (France), SVB Team Germany (Germany), Land Rover BAR Academy (Great Britain), NZL Sailing Team (New Zealand), Spanish Impulse by IBEROSTAR (Spain), Artemis Youth Racing (Sweden), Team Tilt (Switzerland) and - in a magical story for the home of the 35th America's Cup - Bermuda's own TeamBDA.

Just 18 months ago, many on the Bermudian team had never sailed at all, and none had ever experienced anything remotely like the massive AC45F foiling catamarans of the Red Bull Youth America's Cup. Their unlikely success in securing a Finals berth has riveted the entire island, with spectators cheering madly for the team on the shoreline and from boats on the Great Sound.

On paper, Sweden and New Zealand are provisional favorites based on Qualifier placement and the Kiwi team's status as the defending champion. But the terrifically close results so far indicate that the top step of the podium is anyone's to claim.

Racing gets under way this Friday on the Solent for the cream of the British keelboat fleet at the Royal Ocean Racing Club's IRC Nationals.

The rating rule will create a level playing field between the 53 boats entered ranging from the fastest, the Ker 46 Lady Mariposa, to the slowest, the two Quarter Tonners. In between it must cope with planing machines such as the eight FAST40s or Jamie Rankin's Farr 280, Pandemonium, to the Quarter and Half Tonners originally designed to the IOR rule to Giovanni Belgrano's 1939 Laurent Giles classic, Whooper.

Three 46 footers are competing. In addition to Lady Mariposa is Colin Campbell's Azuree 46 Eclectic, theoretically slowest of the trio. In between is the Marc Lombard-designed Pata Negra, chartered for the summer by the Dutch de Graaf family, who previously campaigned the Ker 40, Baraka GP.

In IRC One they will also face their old foe, Andy Williams' Ker 40 Keronimo, and Tor McLaren's MAT 1180, Gallivanter. There will also be a trio of J/111s, Simon Bamford's Kestrel, Paul Griffiths' Jagerbomb and Cornel Riklin's Jitterbug.

A favourite for this year's title is former RORC Commodore Mike Greville and his trusty Ker 39, Erivale, having come so close to winning last year.

Among the eight FAST 40+s all eyes will be on the latest generation Carkeek design, Girls on Film of 2016 class winner Peter Morton. With a modified cockpit layout compared to her predecessor (now Bastiaan Voogd's Hitchhiker), the IRC Nationals will be her first competitive outing having freshly arrived from her builder in Dubai.

IRC Two will see a dust up between five First 40s, including La Reponse of RORC Admiral Andrew McIrvine, who memorably scored three straight bullets on the final day of the IRC Nationals. On that occasion he was beaten to the class win by Adam Gosling's JPK 1080+ Yes!, ultimately crowned joint IRC National Champion. Yes! will return to defend her title.

Women's Match Racing World Championship Helsinki, Finland: The battle for the final spots in the quarterfinals came down to the last flight. Eight of the top teams in the world will move on to the second stage and keep their dreams of a World Championship title alive while six teams had their hopes defeated. Lucy Macgregor (GBR) put an exclamation point on her team's round robin by winning all of her matches today and remaining undefeated.

As the last flights played out in the bright sunshine in front of the evening crowds on the terrace of Hernesaaren Ranta, the final two spots were still to be decided. The most exciting of the late matches featured two Finnish teams skippered by Marinella Laaksonen and Antonia Degerlund.

As the winner of the round robin stage, Lucy Macgregor (GBR) gets two significant "prizes". She will be presented with the ISAF / World Sailing Nucci Novi Ceppellini Memorial Trophy. The trophy is named after Nucci Novi Ceppellini, ISAF Vice-President from 1998-2008, who passed away in February 2008 after many years dedicated to the sport, with women's match racing one of her particular passions. In addition, she gets the opportunity to choose her opponent for the quarter-finals. When pressed by Liz Baylis, WIM Series Manager, during the after race "Sailor Talk Show" to reveal her choice, Macgregor responded: "You'll have to wait until the morning. Our team has to sit down with a cup of tea and a biscuit and have a chat about it tonight!" The weather in Helsinki has been a rollercoaster over the past few days - bright sunshine then blustery clouds then brilliant sun again.

The racing continues Tuesday with the quarter-finals on the waters at Hernesaari (Ärtholmen), to be followed by the semi-finals and then concludes with the final on the longest day of the year, Wednesday 21 June.

Figaro Leg Four... the Deciding Leg Just 505 miles remain of this 48th edition of La Solitaire URGO Le Figaro race, the run to Dieppe will seal the fate for the sailors. Well rested following three complete nights spent in Concarneau, the competitors departed Monday once more mustering their strength for the last battle.

So who can beat the leader Nicolas Lunven (Generali)? His opponent Adrien Hardy (Agir Recouvrement), with a difference of 24 minutes in the general classification Hardy recognized on his arrival at the pontoon in Concarneau that it would be necessary to make a perfect race, as the skipper of Generali seems this year the master of speed and navigation. If Adrien Hardy isn't in the best position to be able to worry Lunven it will be Charlie Dalin (Skipper Macif 2015) and Sebastien Simon (Brittany Credit Mutuel Performance) at a difference of one hour who can still claim final victory.

Between the 7th place Damien Cloarec and the 15th place, a group of 9 sailors are separated by just over 20 minutes. In other words, there is not a position between them (Mettraux, Beyou, Macaire, Loison, Biarnès ...) all will be decided in Dieppe. Two of them will be watching especially for the outcome of the Rookie ranking. Julien Pulve (Team Vendee Formation) and Tanguy Le Turquais (Nibelis) who are only separated by a quarter of an hour.

With stage 4 returning to the English Channel, a third of the leg will be raced along the very familiar south coast, the British contingent will be hoping to utilize their knowledge and experience of these waters for a competitive advantage.

Between Concarneau and Dieppe, a complex weather picture awaits the 43 solo sailors on a 505-mile course that will not be easy. The most optimistic routes announce an arrival in the middle of the night from Thursday to Friday. It is mainly in an eastern breeze that the stage will take place, except tomorrow night when the effects of breezes along the Cornouaille and in the Iroise Sea could create the first deviations.

Hanuman and Ranger Tied At the TopPhoto by Ingrid Abery, www.ingridabery.com. Click on image for photo gallery.

In the historic first ever America's Cup J Class Regatta in Bermuda three different crews won races on the opening day. Just one point separates the top two boats, Hanuman and Ranger on seven apiece with Lionheart poised for three way final day showdown on eight.

The record fleet of seven J Class yachts, the biggest ever mustered in the 87 year history of the class, may have been forced to wait an extra few days after Friday's opening races fell victim to winds which were too light and fickle, but on National Heroes Day, Bermuda rewarded the magnificent gathering with just the most perfect conditions for the first three races of the first ever America's Cup J Class Regatta.

Every one of the seven teams have brought their A Game to this pinnacle event - planning, optimising and preparing since the event was announced two years ago - and today the island's weather and winds responded accordingly. The result was a truly memorable day of close, exciting racing on Murray's Anchorage, off St Georges to the NE of the Island.

In 10-11kts of wind from the SE and beautiful flat water, Lionheart, winners of last week's America's Cup Superyacht regatta, opened with a well earned victory.

With the breeze built to 11-12kts for the start of the second race Velsheda started well and were able to power out to the left side of the upwind and lead all the way around with the very fast and slippery looking brand new Svea in second.

In the final seconds before the gun went for the third race start Lionheart had the door closed on them by Peter Holmberg on the helm of Topaz right at the signal boat. They had to dip back across the start line, losing time on the fleet, most particularly nearest rivals Hanuman and Ranger which were both pin sharp off the start line.

With Kenny Read on the helm and an afterguard comprising tactician Kelvin Harrap, strategist Simon Fisher and navigator Stan Honey, Hanuman were able to lead at the first turn, narrowly ahead of the omnipresent, consistent Ranger. Around the leeward gate Ranger, which has Brad Butterworth as tactician actually lead, but Read stayed patient on the turn at the buoy got back inside the Ranger line. After Hanuman tacked away they extended progressively to secure a comfortable win over Ranger with Topaz sailing a good final run to take third from Lionheart.

Racing concludes Tuesday with two windward-leewards planned, starting 1100hrs local time (-3hrs UTC)

J/80 UK Open National Championship Kevin Sproul's name has been etched on the J/80 Open National Championship Trophy for the seventh time. Racing J.A.T., the Scottish helmsman scored no lower than a fourth in nine races, to win the UK National title in a fleet of 21 boats. Jon Powell's team, racing Betty, is the runner up, just a point ahead of Olympic Silver Medallist, Luke Patience, racing Ryoko Meka.

The Mediterranean conditions persisted for the entire three days for the J/80 Open National Championship and with air temperature touching 30ºC, the windless mornings were replaced by a fickle sea breeze in the afternoon. The Royal Southern Yacht Club's Race management team, were roundly applauded for keeping competitors informed, and for delivering nine excellent races in difficult conditions. Starts are always important but especially in light air and while Kevin Sproul and Jon Powell showed the way for the first two days. The last day belonged to Luke Patience and his team, who scored three bullets and a second.

The Count Down Commences & Race Partners are Finalised The Round the Island Race in association with Cloudy Bay, takes place on Saturday 1st July. As organisers at the Island Sailing Club (ISC) in Cowes count down the days, the Rear Commodore Sailing and head of Race Management Dave Atkinson, is hoping for a late surge in entry numbers to record a final number on par with last year at around the 1,500 mark. Entries currently stand at 1,150.

Standard entries closed Saturday, 17th June at 2359

Late entries close at midday on Wednesday June 28th.

If you haven't already done so, you can enter here from your desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone: rtir.me/entries

Only four German crews on the way to win the Kiel Week The coordination between the Kiel Week race organizers and the weather expert Dr. Meeno Schrader is working well. The meteorologist with a diploma had already recommended on Sunday evening to postpone the starts on Monday, the organizers did follow his advice and this was dead right. The sailors did have an easy stat on their third race day, and when they were sent out on the water around midday, they could still work off an intense regatta day.

Letters To The Editor - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From Alistair Skinner:

Hints of sackcloth and ashes for BAR, but any suggestion they are not looking at why they failed to win is surely misguided.

And was it such a failure in any case? They took two races out of the Kiwis - one as a result of putting so much pressure on them they fell over themselves - which is as many as the well funded Artemis team managed and two more than Oracle has, so far, been able to repeat.

Perhaps the only true failure was, as Nick Fry suggests, that BAR failed to manage the high expectations so many people had in what has proven to be thus far, a very competitive regatta

Remember this was GBR's first go for a good number of years and I would be more concerned about what New Zealand are going to do with The Cup if, or (with Burling appearing to have sorted out his starting weakness) perhaps more likely, when they lift the Auld Mug, at this rate sometime next Monday.

Then, if the Kiwis invoke the nationality rules as they have suggested then BAR would be very well positioned going forward. Not so the Americans - unless it was a single handed race.

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